MGM+, home to the popular horror series From, is expanding its genre slate with the new series The Black Tapes, based on the 2015 horror podcast of the same name created by Terry Miles and Paul Bae.
Deadline reports that Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Nightwatch, Mama) will star in the eight-episode series, with Miles and Bae joining John Rogers (Leverage) on writing duties.
In The Black Tapes, “Dr. Richard Strand (Coster-Waldau), a brilliant psychiatrist with a mysterious past, teams with the obsessed, relentless scientist Alex Regan to debunk paranormal cases of hauntings, possessions, disappearances, and sinister legends – the infamous black tapes. But as Strand and Regan unravel the secrets of these events, they uncover a hidden occult world behind our own and must unravel a centuries-old apocalyptic conspiracy.“
Production is expected to begin in Vancouver in January 2027 for release on MGM+ in the US, UK, Ireland, Germany, Italy, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Latin America.
“The Black Tapes crafts a compelling story around our cultural fascination with the unexplained, while delivering the cinematic, classic storytelling that MGM+ audiences expect,” said Michael Wright, global head of MGM+. “With Nikolaj’s compelling presence and the creative vision of John Rogers, Kearie Peak and our talented production team, we’re excited to make something that is both provocative and hugely entertaining.”
“I was an early and passionate fan of The Black Tapes podcast,” says Rogers. “It’s a unique blend of truly unsettling horror and puzzle-box conspiracy mystery. With Paul and Terry not just executive producing, but also in the writer’s room, we have a chance to both bring The Black Tapes to a new generation of genre fans and deepen and expand the mythos in ways that will surprise long-time supernatural horror fans.”
The Black Tapes podcast has amassed over 60 million downloads since its launch 11 years ago. NBC previously attempted to develop a series based on the podcast in 2018, but it did not go to pilot.
Also on the way to MGM+ very soon is season two of The Institute, arriving next month.